Freak Show
by SaphirePearl
Summary: Alice is unlike any other teenager. She has a special power that controls darkness. When she is discovered having this power, she suddenly finds herself in a world that no longer makes sense, not knowing who is friend or foe. Can she discover the truth of this world?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bakugan as much as I would like to.

This story was inspired by the song _Freak Show _by Skillet.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

"What do we have?"

"Not much. A couple of new moves, but nothing to be excited over."

A sigh. "How many subjects do we currently have?"

"Five, Sir. If we had one more, we would get all the data we need."

"Alright, call Jackson and tell him to be on the look out for one more subject."

"Yes, Sir, right away." A woman pulled out a phone and began punching in a number. A man stood behind her, watching the TV monitors set up in front of them.

They were in a dark room that was only light by the monitors. The room itself was 10 foot by 10 foot. On one wall, charts and graphs had been hung along with photos of five different teenagers. These people were scientists and they were going to get what they needed.

"Jackson, it's me, we have a new assignment for you. Start looking for one more subject to add to our pool." The woman on the phone said. "I don't care how hard it will be, just get it done." She hung up and nodded her head at the man.

"Good. In the mean time, let's focus on the anatomy on each subjected."

"Right away, Sir." The woman's fingers clicked across the keys of the keyboard as she started typing in commands.

**~S~**

Franklin Jackson, usually called Frank, Jack or just Jackson, put his cell phone back in his pocket and sighed. 'Great! Now that everyone has gotten comfortable with each other I have to go find another one.' He grumpily thought. He looked out of the window of his personal train car and watched the five performers practice while he thought over where to look for the next addition to their group.

After a while, he went to his desk and logged into his computer. He started a search for any clues for bizarre events that would give him a lead on where to look. For most of the evening, he searched newspaper after newspaper, article after article and still hadn't found anything. He leaned back and sighed; annoyed that he hadn't found anything yet.

Jackson sat in his chair and stared at the giant map on the wall in front of him. It was a world map that was 4 foot by 8 foot. Pins of different colors and sticky notes were stuck into it, showing where the performing group had been. He got up and walked to the map and found the pin that showed their present location. Berlin, Germany stood up from underneath the pin.

He sighed. "This job would be much easier if I already had an idea of where I need to go." He mumbled to himself. He looked at the map and realized that there were hardly any pins in Russia. He looked at Moscow and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess that's where we are going until I have a clue." He picked a box full of pins and placed a purple one in the middle of Moscow. "Russia here we come." He said as he put down the box and headed outside to inform the rest of the group.

**~S~**

Hello, returning readers and new comers. I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. This is a story that I have been thinking about for a long time and very excited to get it up and to see what ya'll think. I hope ya'll will enjoy this story as we make this journey together. I will have the next chapter up soon and it will be longer than this one. See ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Sadly, I don't own Bakugan.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 2: Special**

Alice Gehabich smiled at the beautiful day. The sun was shining and a fresh coat of snow had fallen over Russia the night before. It was her favorite kind of day.

She got dressed and went downstairs to make breakfast for her and her Grandfather, who was the local scientist Dr. Michael Gehabich. She began to hum to herself while she gathered her ingredients and started making breakfast.

"You sound like you are in a wonderful mood this morning." Alice smiled at Grandfather, who had just entered the kitchen. "Of course. How can I not on such a gorgeous day?" Her Grandfather smiled and gave a small chuckle. "Yes, it is a very gorgeous day."

Alice got her vegies cut and made sure she had all the pans she would need to make kasha (Russian porridge). "What are your plans for today?"

Dr. Michael thought for a moment. "I think I'm going to try to work in my workshop and work on scaled down experiments." His Granddaughter smiled at him. She was proud of him for following his dreams to become a scientist, even if everyone was skeptical of the projects he comes up with.

Alice finished cooking their breakfast and served them both their meal. They talked about the weather, current events and what Alice was doing at school while they ate. Her Grandfather looked at his watch and was surprised at the time. "Hurry up, Alice or you will be late for school." She looked at her watch and gasped. "I didn't realize it was so late all ready. Can you clean up?" He chuckled and agreed to clean the dishes. Alice raced to get her shoes on, grabbed her school bag and ran out the door to walk her two mile trek to school.

Alice didn't own a car and she didn't mind the walks to and from school. Besides the day today was a nice day. She listened to the sound of the birds and watched as some squirrels bounded across someone's lawn to a tree on the other side of the house. 'Nothing could go wrong with days like these.'

**~S~**

The morning went by quickly and it was lunchtime before anyone knew it. Alice was very happy that it was lunchtime. She eagerly went searching for her two best friends. Unfortunately, none of them were in the same class this year, but they had the same lunch period, so they were content with that.

She finally found them sitting under a tree in front of the school. They had already begun eating their lunch. "Valentina! Diana!" She waved as the two girls looked at her and waved back. Alice quickly made her way over to the two girls and began to eat her lunch.

The three girls chatted among themselves about their classes, boys and homework. It wasn't anything very exciting. Suddenly they heard the bell ring, signaling the end of the lunch period. They packed up their things and headed inside the building.

"We should totally get together this weekend." Valentina suggested. Diana nodded, "I agree. We haven't done anything together in a very long time.

Alice smiled. "True, it would be nice to get away from the daily routine every so often." As they were rounding a corner in the hallway, they were met with a terrible scene.

The school bully had cornered a freshman boy against his longer. Too scared to do anything, he just stood there waiting to either be left alone or beat up. Alice felt anger rush through her. She had never understood why it was necessary for people to pick on others. "Hey, leave him alone." She shouted, not caring with the fact that he could easily knock her out with a single hit.

The bully turned his eyes on Alice. He was annoyed that someone would dare interrupt his business. "Who are you to tell me what to do?" He gave a small laugh and turned back to the boy in front of him.

Suddenly he felt something hit him in the back. He looked down and saw that it was a book. He spun around and faced Alice. He was no longer annoyed, but he was enraged. "Fine! You want my attention? You got it, girlie!" He spat at her.

Alice hated bullies and she was a very compassionate person. This was one thing she didn't tolerate. "Let him go." The bully looked between her and the boy behind him for a moment. A smile spread across his lips. "Ok. As you wish." He grabbed the boy and threw him across the hall into a group of students and lockers. He laughed enjoying the looks of horror on everyone's face.

The next thing he knew, he couldn't see. He suddenly realized that he couldn't breathe either. Panic enveloped his entire being and tried to find a way out, but he quickly found he couldn't move.

Alice was so angry that she wished that this bully would learn how it felt to be the victim, not realizing what was happening in front of her. "Alice! Stop!" She turned to Diana in surprise at hearing her name. He friend's face was filled with fear. Alice looked back and realized why. The bully was completely surrounded by a dark blue and dark purple vapor. She followed its' trail to the source, which was coming from her hands. She jerked her hands back in horror and the vapor vanished completely.

No one moved for a minute, unsure of what just happened. Then, as if a signal was silently sounded, the other students started to chatter amongst themselves.

Alice turned to her best friends, looking for comfort, but Valentina and Daina were backing away from her, not wanting to be involved with what just happened.

"Freak! She's a freak!" Someone yelled from the crowd. "Maybe she's an alien." Another called. Alice suddenly felt alone and frightened. She looked around at everyone and realized that everyone had become her enemy. No one was going to help her.

With claustrophobia beginning to set in, Alice did the only thing she could think of. She ran as far and as fast as she could. She ran all the way home, not caring that she had left all of her things at the school. Once she was through her front door, she locked and made her way to her bedroom where she also locked that door as well.

Alice flopped down on her bed, out of breath and crying. She didn't know what had just happened, but she was scared and was certain that there wasn't anyone that was going to help her.

**~S~**

Another chapter done. Next chapter should be interesting to read. ;) Please let me know your thoughts as the story progresses. Hope everyone has a good weekend. See ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bakugan or the song _Freak Show _by Skillet. I used some lyrics from that song in this chapter

**Author's note: **In this chapter and upcoming chapters I used the Bakugan names for the performer's names for the show scenes.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 3: A Show To Remember**

Doctor Gehabich looked at his granddaughter as she washed the mornings breakfast dishes. He slowly sipped his coffee as he contemplated on her mood and sighed. It had been two months since he had pulled her out of school after the incident and she had gone from cheerful to depressed in a matter of days.

Alice was currently at her lowest point. Dr. Gehabich heard her every night crying herself to sleep, but he always left her alone. The first night that it had happened, she immediately stopped and said that she was fine. He knew better, but didn't push her on the subject. He tried multiple things to get Alice to open up, but she remained silent on the subject.

One day he took the direct approach and Alice merely cried, unable to say anything. Michael sighed again and put his now cold coffee on the table. He was unsure what to do. He took his glasses off and set them down. He rubbed his eyes and glanced down at his glasses. He saw the newspaper he had been trying to read and noticed something. He put his glasses back on and read the advertisement. Suddenly an idea formed in his mind and he smiled.

"Alice!" he called, while getting up and pouring out the last bit of his coffee. Alice trudged into the kitchen. "Yes, Grandfather?" Michael winced at the tone of her voice. 'She even sounds gloomy.' He observed. He forced a smile and turned to her. "Get your coat. We are going to see a show."

Alice lifted an eyebrow in a moment of confusion, but she didn't question him. She grabbed her coat and followed her Grandfather out the door.

**~S~**

Alice looked around at the small square that was set up just outside of town. There was color coming from lights, costumes, plants, and even various interesting foods. She looked up at the big sign that was stretched across the opening to the giant tent. In large font it read _Freak Show! The Best Show You Will Ever See!_

Alice sighed, thinking that it was going to be a boring show. After getting their tickets and finding their seats, they waited for the show to start. Alice was impressed with all of the color that was set up all around the tent. Even the chairs were different colors. She also noticed some rose petals on the floor of the stage, briefly wondering what they were going to be used for.

The lights went out and spotlights turned on. Standing in the middle was a lanky man who looked to be in his mid-30s. Dark brown hair cut short, but shaggy. He was wearing a black suit with a green vest and green tie. He brought the microphone up and Alice was amazed at the way he was able to make the audience get drawn in by just a few words. "Ladies and Gentleman. Thank you all for coming to our spectacular show. My name his Jackson and I will be your host for the evening. Tonight, you are all going to entranced by the best show you will ever see. Done by performers who are all supremely talented. Now some people say they are aliens, while others say they are strangers. Some say that they are not from this world. Some people ask, "Will they scorn or will they attack us?" Let's find out, shall we? Welcome to the Freak Show!"

Alice gasped in surprise when the rose petals suddenly became a tornado, rising up off the ground on their own accord. The petals were everywhere and Alice caught a few with her hands. When the petals had settled back down, her eyes immediately saw five people on the stage. Jackson began introducing them one by one.

"Now, allow me to introduce to you tonight's entertainment. First up is Drago! He seems hip, but he is ferocious like a dragon. " A young man stepped forward. He was wearing white pants with read flames, a black shirt and a red vest. His face had been painted to resemble that of a dragon, but his brown hair could still be seen. He made a bow and then he pumped his hands up and a fireball rushed to the ceiling where it extinguished before it reached the roof.

"Next up is Tigrerra! Watch out for those claws or it could be scary." A young woman with blue hair that was tied in pigtails stepped forward. She wore a white skirt, white boots, yellow shirt, white vest and she had a gold mask over her eyes. A huge tiger light display lit up in front of her.

"He is short, but size doesn't matter when you are slick. Here's Preyas!" A short blonde boy dressed in white pants, dark blue shirt, light blue vest and blue make up. Water shot up in a water display circling all around the stage.

"Next up is our lovely gal Gorem! Don't let her cute and bubbliness fool you, she can pack quite the punch." Another young woman with white hair pulled into a tight bun took a flourishing bow. She had on beige shorts, pink shirt, mint colored vest and a butterfly mask on one side of her face. A huge rock sculpture suddenly appeared in the middle of the stage.

"And last, but not least, Taylean! He is handsome and, yes, he is single. However, he can vanish just like the wind." Alice leaned forward, drawn to this mysterious young man. She looked at his long black hair that was pulled back by a green hair tie. He wore white pants, green shirt, black knee length vest and a green mask that covered his entire face. Rose petals suddenly sprang up from all over the tent and encircled the young man. Alice searched for him, but couldn't see through the petals. When she gave up looking, the petals suddenly stopped spinning and headed to the ground. The audience gasped in surprise and thrill when they saw the space was now empty. It was only then that Alice realized the entire stage was left empty.

"Now that we have introduced our performers, how about we get started with the show?" A roaring applause sprang up all around the tent. Alice clapped with them, starting to become interested but still thinking it was going to be a boring show.

The show carried on. A fire performance began and made the audience draw forward in anticipation. A water sphere suddenly interrupted it. A battle between the two elements went on for sometime until the fire element was completely distinguished. A loud cheer was heard as water cut through different objects and created a massive water display set to music.

Rock formations began to form towards the end of the water display. By the end of the song, earth sculptures had taken over the entire stage. Some formations were easy to identify while others were difficult to decipher. The last sculpture was a beautiful landscape with mountains and trees. Light suddenly shown behind it, giving the sculpture a silhouette look, which made it even more breath taking.

Light was being found all over the tent. Sometimes up high while other times it was behind the audience, throwing shadows in different places and creating unique shapes. The audience was very impressed when the shadows from the light created a very detailed tiger. With each performance, Alice kept being drawn in a little more, until the final performance.

Alice could hardly breathe from the beautiful display that was being created in front of her eyes when the performer Taylean finally took the stage. She barely heard the announcer introducing him as he gracefully stepped onto a platform high above. He slowly walked out to the middle of a high wire and stopped. He slowly raised his hands and the petals that had been forgotten about since the beginning rose once more. This time they began by forming a huge flower petal sphere in midair. They then transformed form one shape to another for a time. At the end of the performance, Taylean suddenly stepped off of the wire and fell. The audience gasped first with shock then surprise when he suddenly landed on a platform made only by the petals. The audience gave a huge applause at the performance.

Alice couldn't move her eyes from the display in front of her until suddenly the show was over. She looked around, not believing that it was over. "Grandpa, are you sure that's it?" Her Grandfather sighed. "Yes, I'm afraid so. It was an amazing performance. I must admit that the special effects were very well executed." She nodded, disappointed.

"Come on. I heard that you could meet the performers." Alice looked at her Grandfather hopefully. "Really? Ummm….That is if that is ok." The scientist laughed at her response. "Why of course, my dear. Come on, we will have to wait in line."

True to his word, they had to wait for a little while in line. Many families waited to meet the incredible performers of the night, but Alice was only interested in one performer. She couldn't stop thinking about him and the way he moved. She had been entranced the whole time he was on stage.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't realize she was next until she heard her name get called. She looked up and blushed. Standing in front of her was Taylean. "Hello." He said. She noticed he had an interesting accent, one she wasn't familiar with. "Hi." She looked around, trying to think of what to say next. "I liked the show, it was really good." He bowed. "Thank you. I hope it met your expectations."

Alice nodded. "Yes. Actually it was more than I expected." He turned to look at something then turned back to her. "I'm glad to hear that. It was nice meeting you but I must be going. Farewell." He took her hand and gently kissed the top of it. Alice blush deepened at the gesture. "Farewell." She whispered and watched him leave the area. She suddenly noticed that her heart was pounding and racing. 'That's odd. It has never done that before.'

"Alice, time to go." Her Grandfather said. She nodded and followed him back to the car; all the while her thoughts were still on Taylean.

**~S~**

Sorry everyone that it took me so long to write this. It was actually a very difficult chapter to write. I hope it turned out good. I had to rewrite a dozen times. I hope everyone is doing well and thank you for your patience. Please leave me a comment or review. I am hoping to get the next chapter up next week. See ya'll next time. Happy Valentine's Day! *SaphirePearl*


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bakugan, obviously.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 4: The Lead**

The light from the train windows cascaded through out the car, casting shadows in various places. It wasn't long until Jackson had a difficult time seeing what was on his computer screen because the light was shining straight onto it. He sighed as he leaned back in his chair. 'Well, at least I have finally found something.' He thought.

It had been a week since they first arrived in Moscow. Every chance that he got, Jackson searched on his computer for any articles on anyone having that special talent he was seeking. After four days, he finally found his answer. He stumbled upon an article about a girl who dropped out of school after attacking another student with magical powers that the school was claiming to be witchery. Jackson, however, knew better.

He laughed thinking of the article. 'Magic, that's hilarious.' After another day of searching he finally found a name. Grateful that he found a lead so quickly, he was able to find an address for the girl and was able to find where she lived on a map.

Jackson looked at his phone and shook his head. He needed to call the Boss, but he wasn't ready to talk to him about this just yet. "Time for a drink then." He muttered to himself. He got up, grabbed his coat and headed into town to the nearest bar.

**~S~**

The bar Jackson entered into was a little dark and dank, but a fully stocked bar which was all he cared about. He walked up to the counter and ordered a drink. While the bartender was getting his drink, Jackson looked around at the other patrons. He needed to make sure that the article was accurate and what better place to get information than in a bar.

His eye landed on a table on the other side of the room. Three men were currently sitting talking quietly to themselves. Several empty glasses littered the table; they had been here for a while. Jackson picked up his drink, muttering thanks, to the bartender and walked over to the men.

"Good day, gentleman. Mind if I join you?" He sat down in the vacant chair before any of them could protest. "I am a visitor around the parts and was hoping you could tell me anything of interest to look at?"

The man on his right scoffed. "What makes you think we want your company? We didn't invite here." Jackson took a sip of his drink and set on the table. "True, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation and it sparked an interest to me."

The man across from him studied him carefully. "What does our conversation matter to you, sir?" Jackson smiled. 'Good, someone who actually thinks.' "To be honest, good sir, you were talking about a girl who attacked a student with unknown powers. To be honest, I am a sucker for the strange and unknown."

There was a laugh from the men on Jackson's left and right. "Are you a believer of ghosts and big foot?" The Freak Show manager narrowed his eyes at the man. "Don't insult things you do not understand. That is a good way to get into a large amount of trouble." Jackson almost started laughing at the man's expression, but he picked up his glass to hide the smirk on his face. 'These men are a joke. They will believe anything if it is convincing enough.'

He put his glass down and folded his arms on his chest. "Now, gentleman, this incident with this girl, is it true? I ask because this could merely be a publicity stunt after all." Jackson waited patiently and the three men looked at each other. Their faces indicated that they all realized that he was a man to not trifle with.

"Yes, it is." The man across from him said. "My daughter was standing next to her when it happened." He leaned forward and lowered his voice as if afraid that he would be struck down if he were overheard. "She said that this black mist suddenly appeared and began to suffocate a boy that was causing trouble. Last I heard, that girl was pulled out of the school and is hardly in town anymore. Good riddance in my opinion." The man ended his tale with a look of disgust on his face.

Jackson picked up his drink and threw it back in one gulp. He stood up smiling. "Thank you, gentleman. That was all I needed to know. Drinks are on me." He placed a small wade of cash on the table and walked out of the bar. As soon as he was outside, he pulled his cell phone out and dialed the number that he had memorized long ago.

"It's Jackson. Tell the Boss that I have found our final addition. I will begin the integration into the group as soon as possible." He sighed as he hung up and headed back to his train car. He had a lot of work to do.

**~S~**

Howdy, everyone! I am sorry it took so long; family drama and work suddenly took over for a long time. Now I have my time back and will be able to get this story written. This chapter was short and probably a little boring, but was key to bridge the next several chapters together. Things are about to get intense for our characters.

This story will have Alice and Shun moments, just haven't reached that part in the story yet. Please review and let me know what you think. I would like to hear more of your thoughts as the story progresses. Thanks for your patience and see ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **The usual "I do not own Bakugan" line.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 5: Meeting the Target**

It was another sunny day, but Alice still didn't feel like doing much. She had enjoyed her time at the show that her grandfather took her to the other night, but she still felt depressed. Her grandfather kept trying to cheer her up, which she was grateful for, but everything he tried didn't seem to work.

Alice glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost eleven o'clock. 'Time to start lunch.' She sighed as she slowly rolled off of her bed that she was lounging on since she woke up that morning.

As soon as she got to the kitchen, she opened the fridge and starred at its' contents, trying to figure out what to make. 'We haven't gone grocery shopping in a while.' She observed.

After 20 minutes, Alice finally decided on making beef stroganoff. She had just placed the items on the counter when the doorbell rang. Alice looked in the direction of the door confused. She wasn't aware of anyone coming to visit. She shrugged and went to the door. She looked out of the window and was surprised to see the man that hosted the show that she saw the other night. Alice opened the door a crack and said, "Hello?"

The man smiled and made a bow. "Good morning, ma'am. I apologizing for showing up unannounced, but I couldn't wait to meet you." Alice merely starred at him, still unsure who he was and why he was there. "My name is Franklin Jackson, but you my friends call me Frank or Jackson. Whichever is fine with me." He said after he realized that she wasn't going to say anything.

"Why are you here? I don't recall having met you before." Alice cautiously asked, readjusting her position so that she could slam the door shut if he tried anything.

Jackson smiled gently. "This is probably a sensitive topic, but I happened to overhear an interesting story at one of the bars the other night. I was so interested on what had happened that I knew that I had to come meet you in person." His response made Alice speechless. She wasn't sure what to say or what he was talking about.

Before Alice could say anything, her grandfather appeared behind the man looking angry. "Can I help you young man? I don't like having unannounced guests on my property."

Jackson turned to face the elder gentleman and held his hand out. "My apologies, my name is Franklin Jackson. To be honest, I wanted to meet this young lady." Dr. Gehabich briefly glanced at the offered hand, but didn't take it. After a tense moment, Jackson lowered his hand with a shrug. Apparently he was used to that. "As I was telling this young lady, I heard an interesting story about her at a bar the other night and was fascinated with it. I knew I had to meet her."

Dr. Gehabich walked past the young man to his granddaughter, relieved to see that she seemed fine. He turned back to the man, suspicion showing in his body language. "What kind of story?" He asked slowly.

Jackson smiled. "About how she conjured up this dark mist power. I love things of the unnatural type. I can't help it, I feel myself being drawn to those kinds of things." He continued his explanation at the unbelievable look his two acquaintances gave him. "You see, I am in charge of the show that is currently in town. What most people don't know is that everything that you see on stage is real. No special effects or hidden theatrical trick. Every one of my five performers uses a rare talent to perform these tricks."

The elder man tensed, he didn't like where this conversation was going. "What does that have to do with my granddaughter?" Alice looked at him surprised at the malice in her grandfather's tone. He never talked to anyone like that.

The visitor smiled. "An opportunity and a rare offer. I was wondering if she would like to join my group for a tour and have the opportunity to not only see some of the world, but to meet other people her age with the same kind of talent." He held up a hand to stop any protests. "I know what you're thinking. You think that this is a bad idea and that you would never allow that to happen. But think about this, she would be free to see things, explore countries without being feared as well as making lifetime friendships with the other performers. It is a great opportunity."

A long minute of silence followed the explanation. Alice looked between her grandfather and Jackson unsure what was going to happen next. Finally, Dr. Gehabich answered. "The answer is no. I am sorry you have come to waste your time here, but my granddaughter will not participate in that. Now, leave my property before I make you." With that said, he turned and walked into the house, locking the door behind him.

Jackson stood there for a moment and left. Alice watched from the window, thinking about what he said. 'All of them? They all have powers like me? But they didn't seem violent or harmful. Is it possible that I could control this power without hurting anyone?' She wondered to herself.

**~S~**

It was mid afternoon by the time Jackson entered his home. He sighed as he dropped his jacket on the couch and flopped onto the chair next to it. He rubbed his temples in aggravation. 'Well, that visit didn't go over too well. I was hoping for cooperation for once.'

He glanced at the calendar on the wall and at the circled date. His timeline to get this new addition on his team. He was running out of time. He groaned in aggravation and then pulled his cell phone out. He scrolled to a name in his contacts and hit the call button. Several rings later it was answered. "It's Jackson. Listen, I got a job for you. I need you to take care of an obstacle for me. Make it look like an accident…..The guy is a scientist, so you have a large range of situations…..Great. By the way, the target is a Dr. Gehabich."

**~S~**

2 chapters in a day. Now I'm on a roll. :D I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review and let me know what you think so far. See ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Bakugan. The usual spiel.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 6: Loss**

'This would be so much easier if I actually went to school.' Alice thought frustratingly. She erased another math problem that she was working from the textbook that her Grandfather happened to have lying around the house. She was attempting to teach herself pre-calculus, but she was finding it much harder to figure out now that she was on her own.

Alice glared at the problem and threw her pencil on the book, giving up on the problem for the time being. She looked out the window and saw that the clouds that had been hanging around for the last couple of days was threatening rain. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was only 3:23 in the afternoon.

It had been four days since Jackson had come by and Alice couldn't stop thinking about what that man had said. She had always wanted to travel and see the world, but she didn't want to leave her Grandfather. He was all the family Alice had left.

She rubbed her eyes and stood up. She filled a kettle with water and put it on the stove to heat. Then she decided to go check on her Grandfather and headed to the workshop that was on the other side of the property. This was in case any sudden accidents occurred and it wouldn't affect the house. The day was cloudy and it looked like it was going to rain. Alice could smell the moisture in the air and figured it wouldn't be too much longer.

She was only 20 feet from the door to the workshop when her world became a whirl of orange and red. The sudden explosion sent her flying backwards and she felt herself bounce and roll several times until she stopped. Alice groaned as she slowly pushed herself up. Every part of her body hurt and she felt something warm and wet running down her face. "What happened?" She asked aloud.

Alice was snapped out of her daze by the smell of smoke and the sound of crackling. She looked up and her eyes widened with horror. The workshop was in completely consumed by flames. "GRANDFATHER!" She screamed.

Tears began to run down her face as she ran towards the workshop determined to find him. She placed her hand on the doorknob and felt it burn her hand. She pulled it back and started kicking at the door.

Suddenly, arms had wrapped around her waist and she was being pulled back. "No! Let go of me! My Grandfather is in there! I have to save him! Let go!" She struggled to get out of this person's arms and kept repeating the same thing over and over.

"Alice, stop! It is too late for him now. I am sorry." She turned to see the face of her neighbor. He had heard the explosion and had come running over to see if everything was all right. He was surprised to see the workshop in flames and Alice trying to break down the door. "There is nothing we can do now. " He gently said as Alice began to sob, ceasing all of her struggling. In the distance, sirens could be heard and she knew that it was over for her Grandfather. She slumped in her neighbor's arms, not knowing what to do.

**~S~**

It took the firemen three hours to put the fire out. During that time, Alice sat with her neighbor on her porch wrapped in a blanket starring at the scene. She was numb; all of her tears had been currently spent. Once the fire was out, it was confirmed that a body was found, but there was not much left.

A car suddenly pulled up and a man got out of the car. Alice didn't even notice the new arrival. The man walked over and crouched in front of her. "I'm sorry for your loss, Alice." The orange haired girl finally looked from the workshop to the man that was speaking to her. She was surprised to see that it was Jackson. He smiled gently and sat on the steps next to her.

"How did you know?" Alice asked quietly, not moving from her place on the stairs. "I heard on the radio that there was a huge explosion out here. I thought the address sounded familiar so I came to check to see if it was someone else and not your home. I guess it was a false hope." Jackson admitted sadly.

Alice sighed. "Yeah. Just my luck. First I accidentally attack someone at school, get pulled out and now I lost my only family." She covered her face with her hands, fresh tears suddenly appearing from somewhere she didn't know about. "I don't know what to do or where to go. I have no one in my family that is alive that can take me in and I am too young to live on my own." She felt the tears begin to fall and she wasn't able to stop them. She cried all over again, sobs shaking her body as she wept.

She felt herself being pulled towards a chest and she didn't resist. Her sobs became louder as she thought about how her Grandfather would never be seen or heard from again. She couldn't understand why fate had decided this on her. She hadn't done anything wrong that she could think of.

Once she was able to calm herself down again, she pulled away from Jackson. "I'm sorry, Mr. Jackson, I didn't mean to get your shirt wet." The young man waved off her apology. "Don't worry about it. I completely understand, this is a hard time for you." He sat there a moment. "So, you have no one that you could go live with?" Alice shook her head. "Hmmm, that would mean the orphanage for you then."

Alice sighed and nodded. "Yeah, at least until I'm 18. Not looking forward to that." They both sat there in silence for a few minutes until Jackson snapped his fingers. "I have an idea, why don't you join me and my group. I assure you that you are going to love it. Besides, it will be a lot better than any orphanage." He added before Alice could object. "All of the performers are around your age and you will be getting all of the care and support that you need. We are like family and we look after each other."

She sat there a moment and thought about living with that cute looking, mysterious boy that had caught her eye at the show. She felt her heart flutter once again. 'Why is it doing that right now? I just lost my Grandfather and yet I still feel giddy at the thought of him.' She thought. Alice looked at Jackson after a moment. "I would love to, but I don't think that anyone would let me do that."

Jackson smiled and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "You let me worry about that. I actually have some contacts within the government. I'm certain that it will work out. Just give me a few days and it should all be figured out." Alice nodded and mumbled thanks, still unsure if that would work. He stood up and placed a card next to her. "Here is my card in case you need to get a hold of me. You worry about what you need to get done here and I'll handle everything else. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call, ok?" When she nodded, he smiled and headed to his car. "Don't stress about anything, it will all be taken care of." He called over his shoulder before he climbed into his car and left.

Alice picked up the card and looked at it. She sighed and looked back at the demolished workshop. 'Maybe everything will work out. Still, why do I have a funny feeling that I am wrong?' She thought before her neighbor came out and ushered her inside the house for dinner.

**~S~**

I hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter. Next chapter will be more light hearted than these last few chapters. More of the Bakugan team will make their appearances in the next chapter. Please leave a review because I love to read them. :D See ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **Obviously, I do not own Bakugan.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 7: New Home**

It was a warm, sunny day and everyone was out enjoying every second of it. Kids were out playing and adults were sitting outside while the opportunity as available. Rain was supposed to be moving in that evening.

However, not everyone was outside playing or relaxing. The performers were taking the opportunity to practice in the sun and trying out some new tricks that aren't recommended to be indoors. Fire, water, earth, and light could be seen flying all over the place. If one wasn't careful, they could be hit with a stray element.

Alice watched amazed at the spectacle in front of her. It was one thing to see this in a performance, but she loved seeing it offstage. It had been two weeks since she lost her grandfather and was amazed when Jackson showed up at the foster home that she was staying that saying that he got everything worked out and that they will be leaving Russia the next day. She was very excited and she couldn't wait to see that young man again.

"HEY! WATCH OUT!" Alice looked up at the shout and ducked at the last minute with a gasp as a fireball flew past her, exploding a few feet away. She turned back around to see the brown-headed boy scratching the back of his head in a sheepish way while the blue-haired girl yelled at him. Alice couldn't help but giggle at the sight.

"You moron! You could have hurt someone!"

"That's what practice is for!"

"You should pay more attention!"

"I am! Don't tell me what to do!"

"Quiet, both of you!" Jackson suddenly interrupted. He had just finished getting some things packed up onto the train not far from where they were. "Now, everyone, we have a new member joining. This is Alice Gehabich." He gestured to Alice standing next to him. "Hi. It is nice to meet all of you."

Jackson continued the introductions. "Now, this is Julie, Marucho, Runo, Dan and…where is Shun?" He asked once he realized he was missing someone. The brown-haired boy, Dan, pointed over to a nearby tree to their right. "He's brooding as usual. He didn't want to practice for some reason." The others glared at him and he backed away from them.

Jackson sighed. "Come on, I'll introduce you to him and then we can be on our way." He looked to the four standing in front of him. "Get everything finished packed up. We are leaving in a couple of hours." They nodded and left to do what was asked of them. Alice followed the Master of Ceremonies to the tree. When they reached the base of it, they stopped. She looked up and for a moment thought that they had been given the wrong information. "What's she doing here?" At the sound of the accented voice that sounded very familiar, she was able to make out a shadow higher up in the shade of the branches. "Shun, I would like you to meet Alice. She has joined our family. By the way, we are leaving in two hours, so I expect you to have all of your things ready to go." Jackson said.

"Really? Having five lackeys isn't enough for you?" Shun remarked. Alice was surprised. He didn't seem to be this rude or sarcastic when she met him the first time. Jackson sighed out of frustration. "Not funny. While you finish getting things packed, please show Miss Alice where her cabin is, please." With that said, he left the two at the tree.

Alice jumped a little when Shun suddenly appeared next to her. She was immediately drawn to his hazel eyes and handsome features. She began to feel her heart pound, just like it did that first night. He sighed and began to walk towards the direction of the train. "Well, come on. I don't have all day."

They walked in silence. Alice didn't know what to say and she could tell that Shun didn't want to talk any ways. He had his hands in his pockets and kept his back straight, showing that he was tense. She sighed, wishing she knew what to say. It took only a few minutes to reach the train and they both climbed inside.

Alice was amazed at how nice everything looked the moment she stepped in. The walls were decorated nicely and she loved the furniture. It was a living room with several couches set to the side.

"Your room is this way." She looked to her guide. "Right, sorry." She followed him through two sets of doors and stopped at a door at the very end of a train car. Shun opened it and stepped aside. "This will be your space. It is your responsibility to keep it clean and neat. Unless you're like Dan who prefers to live in a pigsty." Alice saw her two suitcases already set next to the bed. There also was a small desk, a dresser and a closet. She turned to Shun. "Thanks. This is nice."

"Yeah, whatever." Shun said. "Dinner will be at 8. If you need anything, ask Runo or Julie. They sleep in this car too." With that said, he pushed himself off the doorjamb and walked away. Alice blinked in surprise and sat on the bed. It wasn't long until she felt the train begin to move, startling her from her thoughts. She sighed and flopped onto the bed. "Welcome to your new home, Alice." She muttered to herself as she watched the trees flash by her window.

**~S~**

Thanks for reading. Sorry it took so long to put this up. I had a huge writer's block, but I think I'm good now. I'll try to get these chapters up faster. Please leave a review and/or comment/questions you may have. See ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


	8. Chapter 8

**Dislcaimer: **Do not own Bakugan, of course.

Any questions that have been asked will be answered at the bottom of this chapter.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 8: A Sour Dinner**

It was dark outside and Alice was still lying in her bed. She hadn't bothered to turn the light on and she had noticed how dark it really got in her room. She sighed and rolled onto her stomach so she could look outside better. She could see the stars from this position and felt tears form in her eyes.

Suddenly, a knock at her door made her jump and she turned to look at the door. It slid open revealing two people standing in the doorway. "Oh my gosh, why is it so dark in here? Someone could get hurt." The light was flicked on and Alice could finally see that it was Runo and Julie standing in her doorway.

"Hey, girl, what are you doing sitting in the dark?" Runo asked as she sat on the edge of the bed. Alice sighed and sat up. "I don't know, thinking I guess." Julie huffed at her answer. "Well, you can think later. It's time for dinner and I'm hungry. We should hurry before Dan eats all of the food." She grabbed both girls' hands and pulled them out of the room.

Alice giggled and managed to get her hand free as they made there way to where dinner was. She looked at Runo and sighed. "Can I ask you two something?" Runo smiled and nodded. "Sure, you can ask us anything."

Alice gave a small smile back. "Ok, why is Shun such a jerk? He didn't seem like one when I met him after I saw the show a few weeks ago?"

As soon as she asked, both Runo and Julie stopped. Alice looked between the two confused. Runo sighed and looked at her. "Try to not take things personally with Shun. I think under that hard exterior he is a nice guy, but from what I understand, he has been like that since before even Dan joined. Shun was the first one that joined this place and Dan was second. I have heard Dan say some things that sounds like that Shun was much nicer at one point, but I guess something happened and made him to be such a jerk to everyone." Runo took a breath and shook her head.

"He is cute, but definitely has a temper. I personally try to not make him made. He is scary when he is angry. It's best to stay clear of him if you can." Julie jumped in, whispering. Runo lightly punched her shoulder. "He isn't scary. Intimidating, but not scary. For now, just ignore him." Runo then smiled and kept walking. "Come on. Like Julie said, we don't want Dan eating all of the food."

**~S~**

Alice stood in shock on how much food there was spread across the table that could easily hold twelve. Dan, Marucho and Shun were already seated eating dinner. Alice gave a small laugh when she realized that Dan was really the only one eating at the moment. Runo and Julie had sat down next to the boys. Jackson was nowhere to be seen.

"Well, don't just stand there, Alice. Come sit and eat." Julie happily piped up as she reached over for some noodles. The Russian girl sat down and grabbed the bowl that sat in front of her. It turned out to be a vegetable soup.

"So, Alice, what is your talent? You already know what we can do." Marucho was the first to break the ice. Alice smiled as she slowly ate her soup. 'This is really good.' She thought. She turned back to the conversation at hand. "I'm not really sure, but I know that it was a dark looking mist or something. I was pulled out of school because of it." She spoke the last part quietly.

After a moment of silence, the door to the room suddenly opened. "Good evening, everyone. I hope there is food left." Jackson plopped into a chair at the head of the table. "Looks like I'm in luck tonight. Alice, I hope you settled in alright." He smiled at her while he piled his plate with food.

Alice nodded, "Yes, I have. I must say that this food is very good."

"Oh, yes, the food here is always yummy. But having a meal off the train once in a while wouldn't hurt, you know." Julie said and glared at Jackson. The man merely blinked at her and laughed. "Yeah, I suppose once in a while wouldn't hurt any one."

Dan gulped down some food loudly, making Runo glare at him in disgust. "What? Not my fault food gets stuck sometimes." The blunette growled at him. "Maybe if you didn't try to inhale your food, you wouldn't have that problem." She yelled at the brown haired boy. "Anyway, Jack, what is Alice going to be doing?" Dan asked, trying to get the attention from the furious blunette off of him.

"Yes, what exactly is she going to be doing?" Alice paused in her eating and looked at the person who had asked in such a sarcastic manner. She was surprised that Shun had been the one to say it. His mouth was set in a hard line and his eyes were narrowed into a glare. She also took not that he was sitting in a very stiff manner. Jackson sighed. "Now, Shun, be nice. Alice has a talent just like all of you. For now, she will be practicing on using her talent until she is ready to work on a show routine." He turned his attention to Alice. "It will be a little while before you actually perform, but by the time we come up with a show for you, we will have already announced about a new cast member. In the mean time." He turned his attention back to the rest of the group. "When Alice isn't practicing she will be assisting any of you during your practice. And I mean everyone." Alice was confused at the glare that was directed at Shun. A chill ran down her spine when she suddenly realized that Jackson and Shun didn't seem to get along very well.

Shun gave a loud huff and slammed his glass onto the table. "Fine." He growled as he stood up. "I have other work to do, if you will excuse me." Before anyone could answer, the raven-haired young man walked out the door and slamming it shut behind him. Alice flinch at the sound of the door. She looked around the table. "If I did something wrong, I apologize."

Runo tsked and waved her hand. "Ignore Mr. Grumpy. He is always a jerk when a new person comes on board. Give him a couple of months and he will calm down. If he has a problem with you, then he is going to have to learn to get over it." Alice gave a small laugh at the haughty look on her face. "Thanks, Runo."

Runo beamed at her. "No problem. Now eat up. You're way too skinny and you need to gain a few pounds if you expect to survive in this group." Everyone laughed at her comment.

Dinner continued in a more cheery fashion, but Alice couldn't help herself from looking at the door that Shun had left through. She had a huge feeling that there was more of a reason why he was acting the way that he was, but she couldn't figure out what that was. She sighed and got up when Runo and Julie announced that they were heading back to their rooms.

When Alice lay down for the night, she couldn't help but to continue thinking about Shun. She wanted to know why he was acting like that. She fell asleep and her dreams only consisted of the raven-haired young man.

**~S~**

Hey, everyone! I promise I haven't forgotten about any of you. First of all, I had several people as me the same question. "Why is Shun being so mean?" I have a reason as to why he is being a jerk, which will be explained in the story in later chapters. Please bear with me until that question is answered in several more chapters. Rest assured, Shun will be nicer later in the story. If you were wondering, there will be some sweet ShunXAlice moments as well. Please leave a review and/or comment on what you think of the story so far. See ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: ** Still don't own Bakugan.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 9: Tension**

**3 months later….**

The countryside was beautiful to Alice. She couldn't believe how green and lush the scenery looked. She sighed in contentment as she looked from the flowers to the trees and even to the clouds that were floating overhead.

The group had traveled to six other places since she joined. The first place they traveled to were India followed by Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Austria and finally Germany, which was where they currently were. The train had set up camp on a hill overlooking Nuremburg. Alice could look North and see the city just a few miles away.

"Hey, Alice!" The Russian turned to see Runo and Julie walking over to her. "Hey, guys. What's up?" The three girls had become very close over the last few months.

"Julie, Marucho, Dan and I are all heading to see the town and we were wondering if you wanted to come." Runo was practically bouncing in place she was so excited. Alice giggled at the sight of Runo was showing. "Thanks, but I think I will use the quiet time to practice." Alice thought for a moment then looked at the two girls. "You didn't say Shun's name. Is he going?" She was hoping that the answer was yes. The two of them still hadn't been getting a long. Shun took every opportunity to make some remark about her being here and how she didn't belong. It was absolutely frustrating. After three months and she still didn't understand why he was being so rude to her. He didn't seem to be as mean to the others.

"No, Mr. Grumpy never goes exploring with us. Something about us distracting him from getting the feel of the place or whatever. So we stopped asking him to join us a couple of years ago." Runo explained, using the nickname she had given Shun when she first arrived.

"Oh ok." Alice felt disappointed at the fact that she would be here with Shun all by herself. Fortunately the two of them haven't been alone together since her first night. It still didn't make her feel any better.

"Alice, just ignore him if he starts to annoy you. He's all bark and no bite any ways. " Runo comforted her. Julie smiled. "Besides, if he is too mean, just let us know and we'll show him for being such a jerk." Julie added pounding a fist into her other hand.

Runo and Alice just stared at the usually bubbly and cheerful silver haired girl. Julie's face quickly turned red when she realized what she had said. "Of course, we will send Dan to get back at him. Anyway, I think I hear the others calling. See you later, Alice." Julie quickly ran off to keep herself from say anything else embarrassing.

The two girls started laughing as soon as she was out of earshot. After a few minutes the two calmed down. "Well, I'm off. See you at dinner." Runo waved and ran to catch up to the others.

Alice sighed and headed to the open field where they had designated as the practice area. Once she arrived, she looked around, making sure to check every nook and cranny. Once she was satisfied that there was no Shun, she let herself relax.

She took a breath and concentrated,, easily forming a ball of wispy, purple/black in between her hands. It took her a month to master that and another month and a half to easily make it disappear without hurting in anybody. Now she was working on trying to move this ball a few feet in front of her.

A couple of hours of many failures and she had finally made progress. She was able to move the ball slowly in a straight line for about five feet. She was currently working on her second attempt and she was almost at the same place as the first time. 'I'm so close, just a little further.' She thought.

"You're trying to hard." The voice behind startled her, breaking her concentration. Alice watched in frustration as her ball suddenly disintegrated. Gritting her teeth, Alice spun around to give a glare at the person who spoke. She wasn't surprised on who her interrupter was.

"Don't give me that look. I was just trying to help." The raven-haired teen snapped at her look. "Why not? I was doing perfectly fine when you decided to butt in. Maybe you should just keep your mouth shut since you never seem to have anything useful to say." She growled. Alice was having a very difficult time keeping her temper in check. She was naturally a kind and patient person, but after months of Shun constantly degrading her had her at her limit.

Shun merely raised an elegant eyebrow. "Huh? I was thinking the same thing with you." He looked off into the distance. "After all, you really have done much with this group."

Alice didn't know what happened or what came over her. All she knew was she was standing one second and the next, her hand was outstretched, her hand was stinging and Shuns head had snapped to the side. "How dare you say something like that to me? I haven't done anything to you and all you have done is said one degrading thing after another. I have had enough of your attitude towards me. Like it or not, I'm staying here so you mind as well figure out how to get over it." She took a step to the side and headed towards the train cars. "From now on, either talk politely to me or just keep that mouth of yours shut. I don't want to hear anything else that isn't nice or polite." She began walking away.

"I'm impressed. No one, except Dan, has ever had the gall to stand up to me." Alice stopped and turned to see him smirking at her. "Perhaps I made an opinion of you to early. You actually do have a backbone after all, although hidden quite well." Shun moved until he was standing in front of her. He leaned forward until his face was next to her ear. "However, I'd be careful who you decide to snap at. Not everyone has the ability to be in self control over themselves." Alice couldn't respond to what he said, he stomach was suddenly full of butterflies and she could feel her heart pounding.

Suddenly, the moment was over and Shun was walking towards the field. "If you are finished then I shall show you how it should be done." Alice's glare returned with a vengeance. "No, thank you. I don't think I should support those who are haughty and arrogant." She turned and left quickly before she changed her mind.

The sound of the wind picking up behind her made her pause a moment to look at the mini tornado that was created and then quickly split into several more. She shook her head and headed back to her room. Once she was safely inside she laid down, hoping to get some rest before dinner. 'What was that feeling I had? Why was Shun suddenly more kind to me? Although, he still was acting like a jerk.' She pondered.

Alice sighed and allowed herself to drift off to sleep. The last thought she had was of Shun.

**~S~**

Finally this chapter is finished. I struggled quite a bit with this one. The next one will be even more tense between the two. Thank you for all of the responses on the last chapter. It made me feel very happy. :D Please leave a review and let me know what ya'll think. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. See ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **As usual, do not own Bakugan.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 10: Conflict and Answers**

The sound of the crowd cheering was always a pleasant sound to Alice. She smiled as she watched the end of the show. No matter how many times she watched, it always amazed her how talented all of her friends were.

"NOT YET! I NEED MORE TIME!" The sudden yelling scared Alice and she turned to where the sound was coming from. It seemed to be coming from behind a stack of crates about 30 feet away from her. She debated whether or not she should interfere, but curiosity got the better of her.

Alice tipped toed quietly toward the crates and as she got closer she was able to identify the voice as Jackson. She crouched behind the crates and peeked around the corner. She saw Jackson standing with his back to her and he was tapping a foot while rubbing his head. He looked to be quite angry.

"I don't care what he says, nothing is ready for that yet. The new addition is far from ready from any kind of testing let alone intensive testing….Really? You are going to threaten to fire me? At this point, whom are you going to trust with this information? I guarantee that you won't be able to find anyone, so let me put it simply; I am here and can see where all of them are as far as their skills go. I will inform you when I believe that they are ready. Oh, and one more thing, don't call me from this point out. I will call you." Jackson furiously snapped his phone closed and threw it against the wall. Plastic pieces flew in multiple directions.

Alice watched wide-eyed at what she was seeing. She had never seen Jackson act like that before. She decided it would be best to leave before she was seen. She took a step back and bumped into a stack of boxes. A bucket on top suddenly toppled over and hit the floor making a loud bang.

"Who's there?" Jackson's voice was close and Alice froze unsure what to do. She could hear his footsteps getting closer. She closed her eyes and hoped she wouldn't be seen.

"It's me. Sorry if I scared you. Just wanted to let you know that we just finished our last show here. I'm assuming it is time to pack up." Alice's eyes snapped open and she slowly looked around the boxes and saw Shun standing in front of them. 'When did he get here? I didn't hear him.'

Jackson sighed and combed a hand through his hair. "Jeez, you scared me. I would appreciate it if you didn't sneak up on me like that. Yes, let's pack up. Thank you." He then turned and left quickly.

Silence fell for a long minute and Alice thought it best to stay as still as possible. "If you are gong to eavesdrop, then try to not make so much noise." She looked up straight into a pair of serious honey-brown eyes.

Shun sighed and gently grabbed her arms and pulled her up. "Now, I believe we have work to do." He started walking away. "Why did you help me?" Alice asked. "After all, you seem to hate me."

Shun stood still for a moment, all of his muscles were tense. He turned his head to look at her. Alice was unable to see his expression since his hair hid his face. "I have my reasons and they are not any of your business." He walked away in the direction Jackson had gone. "You should get your stuff packed up soon." He called over his shoulder.

Alice let out a frustrated breath. 'That's it, I'm going to get him to tell me what's on his mind one way or another.' She headed towards the performance tent to help clean and pack everything up, but she was formulating a plan.

**~S~**

It was the middle of the night as the train made it's way through the countryside of France. It was currently heading towards Spain and all of the passengers were fast asleep. 'Well, everyone but me.' Alice thought. She had been sitting on her bed for the last several hours trying to think of a way to get Shun to open up to her, but she finally decided that playing nice wasn't going to work anymore.

With her mind made up, Alice went to her door and slipped out. She quietly made her way to the boys' side of the train and found Shun's door. It wasn't hard to find since apparently Shun was the only one who didn't snore. Alice raised her hand to lightly knock when the door suddenly opened. She jumped back against the opposite wall in fright.

"If I had known you were this desperate to see me I would have just stayed in the dining room." Was Shun's sharp remark. Alice glared at him. "Not funny." She decided now would be the time to make her move. She pushed off the wall, walked up to him and shoved Shun as hard as she could back into his room. Alice quickly walked in, closed the door and locked it.

"What do you think you are doing?" Alice looked at Shun and realized that he was angry. She dug deep for confidence she wasn't feeling and glared at him. "You obviously have a problem with me and I am sick and tired of it. So I am going to stay here until you tell me what your issue is."

If she thought Shun was scary earlier then he was very terrifying with the look he was giving her at that moment. "I am going to say this one final time. My reasons are none of your business. Now get out so I can get some sleep."

For a moment Alice considered doing what he asked, but she shook her head. "No, Shun, I want you to tell me why you hate me." He gave a growl and the next thing Alice knew, she found herself pinned to the door. She felt her heart racing and her breathing quicken. Her vision was filled with Shun's very angry face. "Fine, you want to know why I act the way that I do?" Alice managed to nod at his question.

"Well, you won't know, because I are leaving right now." Alice felt his hand leave her shoulder and heard the door being unlocked. She suddenly realized he was going to push her out of the room.

"No, I'm not leaving." She pushed against him hoping he would give her a little more room." Shun growled and pushed back. A wrestling match then followed. Alice was trying her hardest to keep her ground while Shun was trying to get her to leave without hurting her. He was a jerk, but he wasn't going to hurt anyone.

"Why can't you just tell me?" Alice demanded suddenly.

"Because you wouldn't understand."

"How do you know? You haven't even tried."

"I have no reason to tell you."

"You are just being a coward."

"I am not. Now get out."

"You are being a bully. Making sure my life is worst than yours."

"You don't know what it's like to have a terrible life."

"I lost my grandfather in an explosion, what could you know about loss?"

"You don't know what you are talking about."

"Yes I do, but you can't seem to get that into your brain. You don't know what pain feels like."

Alice realized her mistake when Shun suddenly growled loudly and threw her onto his bed. She looked at him with wide eyes unsure what to do. Shun planted both hands on either side of her body. "I know the worst kind of pain that you can only imagine. I watched as my parents were killed, my grandfather slowly die from an illness that we had no control over. I have lost all of the friends that were closest to me without a reason or cause. So don't ever say I don't understand because I have seen worse than you can think of. The reason I despise you is because I don't want to see anyone else get hurt or lose because I got close to them. Do you understand NOW?!"

Silence followed the outburst. All they could hear was Shun's heavy breathing. Alice stared at him in disbelief. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. After a few more tries, she managed to speak in a small voice. "I had no idea. I'm sorry. But if what you told me is true, then the only reason you have been mean to me was because you didn't want to get close to me?" Alice was certain for his reasons now, but she wanted him to tell her that.

Shun sighed. "Yes. That's way I have been such a jerk. The last thing I need is to get close to someone and then experience another loss because of it." Alice shook her head. "That won't happen."

He suddenly stood up and leaned against the opposite wall from her. "You can't promise that. There is more going on here than just a performance group. This place is had a dark secret. I don't know what it is but I am going to find out."

Alice was confused at this confession. "What do you mean? How do you know that?" Shun sighed and looked away. "I've told you more than you need to know. Go back to your room and forget we had this conversation."

For a moment Alice was surprised at the return of the hard bite in Shun's voice, but then she saw a tear on his cheek. Due to the light she was just barely able to see it. She only saw it because the light hit off of it just right from the moon shining through the window. She stood up, crossed the room and hugged Shun before she even realized what she was doing. She felt him stiffen for a minute before he relaxed and wrapped his arms around her.

"Please, Shun. Tell me how you know that there is a secret going on." Alice pleaded one more time, hoping that her softer approach will give her the answer she wanted to know.

"Because….my closest friends used to be performers in this group as well."

**~S~**

Hello, my loyal readers. I had to put this on the back burner for quite sometime. Big life changes kept happening and I had to deal with them. Now that that is all settled I can finally get back to this. Anyway, I hope all of you have been doing well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, especially leaving it on a cliffy. :D Stay tuned because more answers will be coming your way. Please leave a comment or review. I always look forward to reading them. See ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Bakugan.

Here is the next chapter. Enjoy!

**Chapter 11: Memories**

"What? That can't be possible?" Alice refused to believe that the first place she ever felt at home held a dark secret and supposedly people disappearing from.

Shun sighed and looked away. "Like I said, I've told you more than you need to know." He gently but firmly pushed Alice off of him. "Go back to your room. This is something that you don't want to get involved in." Alice stiffened and glared at him. "Don't you dare shut me out. We are finally getting somewhere and now you want to become tight lipped again?"

She pulled out of his grasp and plopped down on his bed with her arms crossed. "I'm not leaving until you tell me everything." Shun lifted an eyebrow at her. He was surprised at how stubborn she was, since she never pushed back.

"Well, are you going to tell me or am I going to have to drag it out of you?" Shun stood there for a few more moments then sighed. "You aren't going to leave me alone until I tell you, are you?" Alice shook her head and Shun sighed again. "Fine, but know that once I tell you, you will be apart of this whether you like it or not." Alice nodded, ready to listen to him.

Shun pulled a trunk in the corner closer to him and sat down. He raked his fingers through his hair as he took a moment to gather his thoughts.

"First of all, you should know that I was part of the original group that began this group. However, at the time, I was like you. I had thought that I had finally found a place that I could call home. Where there was no more pain or unhappiness." Shun looked out his window, lost in his thoughts and memories. "It was about a year after I had joined that I realized that this place was too good to be true."

**~S~**

_**4 years ago**_

_ "No, Shun, concentrate. You are trying to force your ability to work when the truth is the opposite. You need to become one with it, embrace it and let it flow through you. Once you have mastered that only then will you be able to start to control it." Shun watched with fascination as the tall raven-haired girl explained how to control his gift create and throw a light ball at the dummy on the other side of the field. _

_ "Wow, that was amazing, Fabia." The girl, Fabia, turned to him and smiled. "Now, you try. First feel the power through you then release it when you feel you are one with it."_

_ "Or you could just keep at it until it bends to your will." A spiky blond haired boy said as he plopped down on the ground munching on an apple. Fabia glared at him. "Be quiet, Spectre. You don't have to remind all of us that you are "superior" to all of us." She sarcastically replied. Spectre scowled at her remark and took a more dramatic bite of his apple. _

_ Shun gave a small laugh at their antics. He hadn't felt so free in so long, it was nice o be able to relax after all of the hard ship he went through just about a year ago. "So this is where everyone is hanging out.." An oranged haired girl said. A boy with mint colored hair was walking beside her. _

_ "Morning, Mira and Ace. I was just teaching Shun here the proper technique to using our ability until someone decided to interrupt." Fabia sent another glare at Spectre who merely shrugged. "I got bored, what do you want?"_

_ Mira smacked him on the back of his head. "I let you be on your own for five minutes and already causing trouble, my dear brother?" He rubbed the back of his head in pain. "Oh, come on, Sis, don't be like that." _

_ Shun doubled over in laughter. He couldn't help it, everyone had been so nice to take him in and helped him get over his grief after his grandfather died. He loved this place and hoped that it never go out of business. _

_ How wrong he was to even think such thoughts._

**~S~**

That's the chapter. I know it was short and I will try to make the next chapter longer. Hope everyone enjoyed it. Be sure to leave a comment, question or review. See y'all next time! *SaphirePearl*


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bakugan

Note: The words in **Bold **are Shun narrating what was happening.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 12: The disappearance**

_ Shun couldn't believe his luck. He had finally learned enough of his talent that he was finally able to perform with the others. He was extremely excited and was finding it difficult to stand still. He looked at his friends and saw how calm they were. He tried to imitate that same calmness but he gave up after several minutes; realizing that he would not be able to find any kind of calm in any part of his being._

_ "Alright, everyone, show time." Jackson said as he made his way towards the entrance of the stage. Shun was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. Everyone began lining up at the entrance. Shun was last, but he didn't mind. _

_ As the applause of the audience signaled that start of the show, Shun realized that something wasn't right. He counted everyone in front of him. There was Fabia at the front, Spectre second, Ace third and Shun was last. He blinked and counted again. He kept coming up short one person. Then it hit him. Mira was missing. _

_ "Hey, where is Mira?" He questioned. The other three looked at him then at each other. "Good question. She is usually the first one here when we line up." Spectre reasoned. However, they couldn't figure out where Mira was. "Well, it is too late now. Shun, you will have to partner with Ace tonight. All right, look alive. Here we go." Fabia then ran through the curtain and everyone else followed._

**~S~**

**Several weeks went by and each week, one more of my friends would disappear. Every show was one less person to perform. Eventually, we had to post pone shows until they were found or other performers were hired. **

_Shun tried practicing his show routine, but he quickly gave up out of frustration and worry. He soon decided to take to the nearby fields to work on his ninja skills. This training usually helped him calm down and help him think._

_ "There you are, Shun." Jackson's voice pulled Shun out of his thoughts as he landed a backhand flip. Jackson stopped and leaned over, trying to catch his breath. After a minute he stood up. "I've been looking everywhere for you. For a moment I thought you had disappeared like the others."_

_ Shun stood there in shock. "All of them have disappeared?" He asked slowly. He couldn't believe that they had just vanished. Jackson nodded. "Unfortunately, you are the only one left." He placed a hand on one of the teen's shoulders. "Come on, better you stay close so that I can make sure you are safe. Hopefully we will find them soon and we can forget this nightmare." He assured as he led Shun back to the camp._

**He promised that we would find them, but…he never did. It wasn't long before we moved on to another town in another country. I never saw my friends again. We traveled for two months before we officially stopped in a place in Japan. That's where Dan was found and he joined us. **

** Over the next two years, the others were found and added, but I never got close to any of them. They weren't the family that I knew or was accepted into. I never will feel the same as I did when they were here. My dearest friends forever lost and for a while I thought I would never know what happened to them. At least that's what I thought until I overheard Jackson talking on the phone one night**

_ "What do you mean more?" Shun followed the sound of the voice that was in the other room. He snuck behind a pile of boxes, and then he quickly used them to jump up to the rafters above before he was seen. 'Thank you Grandfather for forcing me to learn on being a ninja.' He thought. _

_ He looked down and saw Jackson pacing while talking into his cell phone. "I gave you four perfect candidates for your crazy experiment….Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me to convince the last one that I had no idea what happened to them?...You know what? Tell your boss that it will be a waste of time. It is going to take another few more years before I have enough that will be ready for such a thing." Jackson stopped and narrowed his eyes. Shun watched in amazement how Jackson seemed to stand up straighter, as if he was a soldier standing at attention. "Sir, I didn't mean….I only meant….." Jackson gave a loud sigh. "Yes, sir. I understand….With all due respect, I will do this but it is going to take a long time before I have everything ready for what is required….Yes, sir. It will be done." Jackson flipped his phone shut and pocketed it. He rubbed his temples with his fingers. "Blasted, idiot. This is going to blow up in his face at some point." Jackson turned and left the room. _

_ Shun stayed up in the rafters for several minutes before he made his way down. The whole time, he was shocked at what he had learned._

**After that conversation, I knew then that Jackson was somehow involved. I tried to act normal around him, but the thought of him betraying my friends kept me from accomplishing that. In the end, I just gave up on acting normal and told everyone that I just liked being alone. Didn't need to have anyone in my life. But the truth is….I don't want to be alone.**

**~S~**

Hope everyone that celebrated Thanksgiving had a good holiday. This was a very hard chapter to write, but I think it turned out pretty well. Hope ya'll enjoyed it. I am also getting ready to start writing another story. I have several started but not sure which one to do next. So, I am asking for your help. In about a weeks time, I will have a poll created so that you guys can vote for which one or ones you will be interested in reading. I will let you guys know when that is up in the next chapter. As a preview of what subjects it will be between Yu-gi-oh, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Bakugan. Please leave a comment, review, or question. Have a wonderful day or evening. See Ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bakugan

Enjoy!

**Chapter 13: Making Plans**

Alice watched Shun as he grew quiet. She felt tears run down her face, but she didn't try to stop them. The story she just heard was unbelievable to her. How could someone so kind as Jackson be involved in some crazy conspiracy theory?

They sat there in silence for several minutes. Alice suddenly noticed Shun's shoulders shake and she instantly felt the need to comfort him. She got up and sat next to him, hugging him close to her.

"I'm so sorry for what happened. I can't imagine losing one friend at a time. But you have people currently here that do care." Shun took a breath before he looked at her. "That's where you are wrong. When Dan first showed up, I really did try to be friendly but the pain I had been trying to escape from in the first place kept me from doing that. The reality is, I pushed all of them away because I didn't want to be hurt." He stood up and grabbed a bottle of water sitting next to his bed. "I have no friends. The only ones that I had are gone and I am going to find them no matter what it takes." Shun gripped the bottle tightly, feeling the plastic collapse beneath his hand and he imagined that being the neck of Jackson.

Alice sighed as she watched the bottle get strangled. "So, what are we going to do? How do you know Jackson is even involved in the first place?"

Shun raised an eyebrow at her questions. "How can Jackson not be involved? I mean every time he shows up and things are going his way, events happen what it ends up being in his favor. That can't be coincidence." Alice nodded after moment; agreeing to what he was saying.

'That makes sense. Grandpa ended up being in that horrible accident right after Jackson had introduced himself…But that would mean that the accident wasn't an accident. It would be MURDER!' Alice couldn't believe the horrible conclusion she had gotten to.

After several long minutes, Alice finally broke the silence. "What's the plan?" Shun let out a breath as he let himself flop onto his bed. "For now, we just stay low and listen for anything that could help us." Alice looked at him, confused. "Isn't that what you have been doing." Shun nodded. "For the last three years and I'm still not very close to any answers."

Alice thought for a while, then an idea popped in her head. "We could look at his phone. He does everything on it, surely there is answers there." Shun looked at her as a sarcastic demeanor fell over him. "What a great idea, that isn't something I have thought of before." He suddenly became serious. "You forget that he is practically attached to that device. He is always talking on it and always holding it in his hand. You aren't going to get it off him."

Alice smiled. "One of us could distract him or knock him over then switch phones so he wouldn't notice right away." Shun sighed. "Alice, that won't work either. He will know the phone is fake right off the bat." He thought a moment and smiled. "However, now that you are in on this, there is his computer in his office that he does leave unattended at times."

"Won't that be protected by a password?" Shun smirked at her question. "Of course, but I know how to hack it. It helps to listen and watch Marucho during his computer hacking days from time to time." Alice stared at him shocked. "You can hack his computer?" Shun nodded confidently. "Yes and you are going to be the distraction."

It was Alice's turn to lift an eyebrow at his statement. "And how am I going to do that?"

"It's easy. All you need to do is ask him to help you practice your routine while I sneak in to his office. You can even ask Dan to talk to Jackson about the places he would like to go. That will take at least an twenty minutes."

Alice nodded, starting to feel excited about this plan. "Wounds great, when do we get started?"

"At our next stop."

**~S~**

Another chapter done. The creative juices are flowing so I should be able to have the next chapter up tomorrow night. Also, the poll for what story I should write next is up now. Please take a moment to vote. The Poll will close on January 1st. I will then announce the winner after that has closed. Thanks for all of your patience and support. :D Ya'll are the greatest. Please leave a comment, question, or review. See ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **Do not own Bakugan

Enjoy!

**Chapter 14: The Office**

Their next stop was in Bern, Switzerland. The landscape was very beautiful with mountains on either all around them. Alice could even see where the snow sitting on top of the peaks. She took a deep breath and felt the cold air fill her lungs. Air seemed clean and fresh seeming to energize her.

It had been four days since Alice and Shun had come up with their plan. So far they were able to act like they normally would in front of everyone. Alice was surprised on how easy it was to feel angry at raven-haired teen even though he never truly meant any of the insults. However, none of those things matter at the moment. They have arrived at their destination and it was time for Alice to get to work.

She looked around the camp that was just finished getting set up. She found Jackson standing by one of the train cars talking on his cell phone, as usual. Alice walked over to him and stood there waiting for Jackson to get off the phone.

"Yes, everything is going fine….You are worrying too much. Look I have to go…Yes, yes, I'll call you later." The brunette snapped his phone shut and sighed. He turned to Alice. "I'll tell you one thing, working with vendors is a huge pain and I wonder why it is even necessary to have them. Now, what can I do for you, Miss Alice?"

She smiled at him and put on her best innocent look she could muster. "Mr. Jackson, I have been practicing my routine and I'm having a hard time in some places. Could you do me a favor and help me figure out what I'm doing wrong." Jackson nodded after a moment. "Sure, I can spare a few minutes. Lead the way." Alice smiled and headed off towards the performance tent.

**~S~**

Shun watched as Alice and Jackson walked away from the train. He waited until he was sure that Jackson was out of earshot before he made his move. He casually walked down the length of the train until he got to Jackson's assigned car. He looked around and didn't see anyone nearby. He quickly slipped inside before anyone came outside to see him.

He quickly walked down the narrow hallway until he got to the door at the end of the car that was closest to the front of the train. Shun grabbed the handle and discovered that it was locked. 'Figures.' He pulled out a small pouch and opened it revealing his lock picks. He took one pick out and slipped it into the lock. After a minute of jiggling he heard the lock click, signaling the door was now unlocked. Shun quickly went inside and closed the door before putting his lock picks away.

The office was small and didn't contain much. There was a couch on one wall and a desk on another. Shun noticed the large map with different colored pins sticking into it, realizing that it was the places they had visited. Shun noticed the computer sitting on the desk and he quickly sat down, getting to work.

It didn't take Shun long to figure out the password for the computer and with a few keystrokes he was in. He opened up many different files and documents hoping for some kind of clue. He had only found things on traveling expense, payments and vendors. Nothing useful. 'Well, this is becoming unfruitful.' Shun let out a growl of frustration. Suddenly, he saw a file that wasn't named. It just showed numbers. "4 of 10? What the heck does that mean?" He asked the empty room.

He opened it and was surprised to see a list of names. He realized he recognized all of the names listed. He clicked on his own name and was shocked to discover that it was a profile. He skimmed through the contents of the document. It had everything about him on it. Height, weight, allergies, medical records, personality, etc. Shun closed his profile and opened the other documents. They were all similar to his.

After reading all of his missing friends' profiles, he realized that the location of their whereabouts wasn't listed anywhere. He closed the files and put the computer back the way he had found it. He then rummaged through all of the drawers looking for files with any strange names or anything that seemed out of the ordinary.

"I'm sorry, but I have important work that needs to be done before tonight. I'll see you later." Shun immediately froze when he heard Jackson's voice. He looked at his watch and realized that 20 minutes had barely passed. He swore as he quickly put everything back and closed all of the drawers. He was reaching for the handle when he heard the key slip into place. Shun looked around the room frantically looking for a place to hide.

**~S~**

Hope ya'll enjoyed the chapter. Don't forget to take a moment to vote on the poll. Please leave a comment, question or review. See ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **Do not own, obviously.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 15: Things out of Place**

Alice was pacing in her room, worried and impatient. She looked at the clock what felt like the hundredth time. She sighed and continued her pacing. It had been almost an hour since Jackson went to his office. Shun hadn't turned up and she was becoming very worried. Alice hoped with all of her heart that he didn't get caught.

Alice looked out the window, fear beginning to grip her stomach. She reflected on how different Shun acted in private than he did in public. She was suddenly reminded of the old story of _Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hyde_. A small giggle bubbled up at the thought of such a thing at a time like this.

She suddenly heard footsteps in the hall. Alice tensed, not sure who it was since she was unable to distinguish who was who by the sound of their footsteps. She felt her heart beat quicken and fear squeezing the breath out of her. She saw the door handle slowly turn and for a second Alice held her breath.

"Alice, it's me." A voice floated into the room before a body slipped around the door and closing it. She felt air and mobility come rushing into her body once again. "Shun! Thank goodness you're ok. What happened? What took you so long? Did you find anything useful? What did Jackson do?" Alice asked the questions so fast that Shun was forced to place a hand over her mouth to get her to stop.

"Alice, I can't answer the questions when you are talking so fast." Shun laughed a little and then it turned into a sigh as he sat down on the bed. Alice sat down next to him, anxious to what he had to say. "I found out quite a bit, but not enough yet. I was able to watch Jackson, that was plain luck."

"But how did you not get caught?" Alice interrupted. Shun sighed. "Well….."

**~S~**

_ The key was heard in the lock and Shun glanced around the room frantically. Suddenly, he saw in the corner a trunk. He quickly moved to it and opened it. It was mostly emptied except for a few books and trinkets. Shun quickly climbed in and closed the lid right as the door opened._

_ It was moments like this that Shun was thankful for the ninja training that his Grandfather forced on him since he was able to walk. He heard Jackson close the door and walk to his desk. The scrape of his chair was heard followed by the sound of the man sitting. Shun made certain that his muscles were relaxed enough to not twitch, but tense enough to spring into action if need be. _

_ For 20 minutes, the sound of writing and papers being pushed around was all that was heard. 'What the heck is he doing?' Shun wondered. 'And what does he have to do with all of those disappearances?'. _

_ Suddenly, a phone rang. Shun heard Jackson growl at the annoying device, then flicked it open. "This better be important or I'm hanging up?...Don't play the threatening game. I told you nimrods that you can't replace me very easily and even if you did they wouldn't be able to handle this job as well as I can. Now, tell me what you want?" Shun slowly moved closer to the crack in the chest, straining to hear the other side of the conversation._

_ *BANG!* The sound of something heavy hitting the wall made Shun jump. "What do you mean that they have escaped?...I left you in charge of those subjects after I carefully prepared them for you. You better find them and don't force me to have to come down there and do it myself….You listen to me, if they meet up with those rebellious freaks that have been sneaking around the facility I will personally hold you responsible." _

_ 'Facility? Rebellious Freaks? What the heck is going on?' The conversation piqued Shun's interest, but also frustration because he seemed to have found more questions than answers. "Listen, Martinez, you have better of found them and put them back in their cages by the time I reach Spain. If not, then some heads are going to roll, got that?...Then get to work." _

_ Silence was so thick that Shun was afraid to even breathe. "Idiotic fools." Jackson quietly muttered. Shun dared to open the trunk slightly open. Just enough for him to be able to see into the room. Jackson was sitting in the chair, his back facing Shun. He watched as the brown haired man stood up and walked to the map on the wall. He picked something up and stabbed it into the map. Then he sighed, picked up his jacket and left the room._

_ Shun stayed where he was for several minutes before he decided to finally leave his cramped hiding spot. He went to the map and found a pin in a place that he wasn't familiar with. Almeria, Spain. He mentally made note of the name and made one last look around the office before he slipped out of the room and went to find Alice._

**~S~**

Alice sat in silence after Shun finished his tale, processing what he had just told her. "So Spain is our next stop." She said after several minutes of silence.

Shun nodded. "Yeah and from what I was able to overhear, there is something there that Jackson wants to check on. I have a feeling that's where we are going to find some answers."

He sighed and looked at Alice. "Listen, you don't have to continue if you don't want to. Things are going to be getting dangerous and I would prefer if you didn't get hurt." The last part spoken was so quiet that Alice almost missed it. She turned to him and noticed that he was facing away from her. She didn't understand why he would be doing that. "That's sweet of you to be thinking of my well being, but as you said, I am involved and it is now too late for me to back out." He turned to look at her while she spoke. "So, I guess you are stuck with me."

Alice felt her cheeks start to heat up as Shun continued to look at her in silence. She suddenly felt unnaturally warm the longer she looked at his honey colored eyes. She realized she was completely mesmerized by those handsome eyes that seemed to always be thinking. 'I wonder what he is thinking right now?' She thought.

"Are you sure, Alice? I have a feeling that fighting will be involved and it isn't a place for someone who isn't skilled in fighting." Shun softly spoke. Alice shook her head and smiled. "I am absolutely certain about this. I want to help in any way that I can. Besides my Grandfather always told me to give a lending hand to those who need it most." She continued looking at those eyes for a minute then forced herself to look away, blood rushing back into her cheeks. 'Why in the world am I acting this way?' She took a breath to steady her suddenly racing heart. "Although I must confess, I don't know any fighting."

Alice heard a small chuckle and felt gentle but strong fingers grab her chin and turn her head. She noticed Shun was only several inches away from her. "That's alright, I can teach at night when everyone is asleep. I do know Jackson is a very heavy sleeper, so he won't even know what we are doing."

She looked at him amazed. "Really? You would teach me?" He smiled and nodded. "Yes. Besides, that gift of yours can be used for such more things than just entertainment. It will become useful." Alice nodded, not trusting herself to speak. All she could think about was Shun slowly closing the gap between them.

If it was possible, her heartbeat became even faster and more erratic. Butterflies appeared in her stomach. She didn't understand what was happening, but at the same time, she really liked this feeling. She waited with bated breath as his lips came closer to her's. Then she suddenly noticed how soft they looked and her heart began to pound in her ears.

Then, before she knew when it happened, their lips gently met and she felt the world around them melt away. His lips felt so soft against hers, just like she thought it would be. She kissed him a little harder and noticed a slight taste of cinnamon. She usually wasn't a huge fine of cinnamon but she loved this one.

Time seemed to get away from them during this make out session. The next thing they knew they heard the dinner call. Shun pulled away and Alice looked up at him from her back. She suddenly wondered when they had laid down.

Shun cleared his throat as he slowly stood up. "Well, I better sneak out of here before someone realizes that we are together. I'll see you at the dinner table." He straightened his clothes and grabbed the handle for the door. He paused and looked at her. "Remember, we still hate each other in front of the others." Alice nodded. "Right."

He smiled then slipped out the door. Alice sighed as she felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter once more. She had no idea what happened but she really enjoyed it and hoped that she would get to experience this feeling again. She giggled as she sat up, checked herself in the mirror to be sure she was presentable, then headed out the door for dinner.

**~S~**

Hello, everyone. This was a long chapter but I finally finished it. Before anyone asks, yes, there will be more romantic moments in the story. I hope everyone enjoyed it. My goal for the story is to finish this story by May. We will see if I actually make it. As for my next story, I'm still not sure since no one voted on my poll. :( I will hopefully figure that out soon. Please leave a comment, question, or review. See y'all next time! *SaphirePearl*


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: **Nope still don't own Bakugan

Enjoy!

**Chapter 16: Termination**

**3 weeks later…..**

The sun rose and shined down on Almeria, Spain, sunlight reflecting off the surface of the water, creating a beautiful landscape. Birds began to chirp, greeting the sun's rays as they began to search for food.

Light shined through the window of the train, hitting the face of its' occupants. Shun let out a groan of frustration and rolled over, trying to get a little more sleep before someone decided to come wake him up. 'Dan most likely.' He grumpily thought.

The last three weeks have been long and strenuous. Ever since they found out where they were going, Shun and Alice would meet up around two in the morning to practice their skills. He has been teaching Alice how to use her powers to not only be able to defend herself, but also be able to attack if necessary. He didn't teach her how to kill because he believed she would not be able to do something like that. Alice was unlike Shun on that subject, where he was taught at an early age how to take another's life.

Shun sighed and pulled the covers over his head. The late night training sessions were starting to catch up on him. However, he was pleased with the results and Alice has gotten better. Unfortunately, Jackson also noticed and the brown-haired man decided that she would start participating in the shows. Jackson assigned Alice with a partner since it would be her first time performing. Shun smiled at that, because he was Alice's partner and he could feel his heartbeat quicken at the surge of exhilaration that rushed through him.

Suddenly, loud knocking filled the room, startling Shun out of his thoughts. "Hey, Shun, you up, man?" The raven-haired teen growled at the annoying voice that came through the door. "Go away, Dan." There was an underlying warning underneath his words. "Ah, don't be like that. Besides, Jackson wanted me to tell you that you were in charge of breakfast today." Shun sighed and threw the covers off of him. "What time is it?"

"It's about 6:30. I'm supposed to help."

Shun groaned again. The last thing he wanted was to deal with a morning person. "Fine. Go to the kitchen, I'll be there in a minute." He waited until he heard Dan's footsteps disappeared before he finally got up and got dressed.

Once dressed, Shun looked in the mirror and sighed. Dark circles were very apparent underneath his eyes. He had no doubt that Alice's eyes didn't look any better. Fortunately, no one suspected the two of them being together. Shun was very impressed with Alice's acting. There were times where had actually forgot that she just acting.

After another minute of contemplation, Shun finally brought himself back to the present and headed to the kitchen to deal with a certain annoying brunette.

**~S~**

Jackson was enjoying a very pleasant dream. A dream that didn't deal with teenagers, secrets or crazy conspiracies. It was a dream where he was living a normal life with an ordinary job and had an ordinary family.

Suddenly, that dream was shattered due to a very intrusive sound of a phone ringing. He growled as he rolled over and angrily flipped the annoying device open.

"What?!" He growled. Jackson listened to the person on the other end of the phone for a moment, which then caused him to sit straight up.

"Sir! I wasn't expecting you to call me directly. I was going to send an update later this morning…..No, sir, I haven't done th….But, Sir, you can't jus…I understand. I have noticed something suspicious among a couple of them….Yes, Sir, I will be dealing with them soon."

Jackson sat perfectly still, listening closely to the one sided conversation on the phone. His eyes slowly got wider until they couldn't get any bigger. "Sir, you can't be serious?...Yes, we have made it to Almeria…But, Sir, all of this time and research would be wasted. Please, give me more time. I can get you resu…Yes, Sir, I understand. Operation A.P. will begin promptly."

He closed his phone and sighed heavily. He then got up and stumbled into the bathroom. He turned the faucet on and wet his face while thoughts raced through his head.

After several minutes, Jackson finally looked into the mirror and stared at his reflection. "Well, Jackson, I hope you are pleased with yourself. There won't be much of a job for you after this." He watched as water dripped slowly off of his face for quite sometime before he forced himself to get dressed for the day. He then proceeded to his office and started getting everything ready for the final phase of the project.

At some point, Jackson caught his own eye in the reflection of silver tray and sighed. "I hope this was worth it, Jackson, because now you are going to have to live with yourself sending innocent kids to their death."

**~S~**

Hello, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. More chapters to come soon. Sorry it took so long. Work has gotten very, very crazy and chaotic. Still is, but finally was able to find time to write. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. Once this story is finished, I will take a small break and then have my next story up. I have decided it will be a Yu-gi-oh story this next time. Please leave a comment, question or review. See y'all next time! *SaphirePearl*


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: **Nope, still don't own Bakugan.

Long chapter ahead. Enjoy!

**Chapter 17: Into the Hornet's Nest**

Night had fallen over the coastal town. It was a clear night, but on the horizon a storm could be seen building. Lightning could be seen, the flashes lighting up the sky. However, it was still too far away to hear the thunder. If anyone were to see the storm, they would be able to tell that it was going to be a ruthless storm.

The train that was parked on an off track was completely dark. Not a single light could be seen in the blackness of the night. Silence was heavy in the air. Not a single creature dared to make a sound. An ominous feeling was hanging, like the storm building on the horizon, over the camp.

Suddenly, a shadow sleeked across the yard. It was moving so fast that anyone would have thought they had imagined the movement. The shadow covertly moved from one hiding spot to another. The shadow made its' way to the middle part of the train and slipped in side.

Inside the train was even darker than it was outside, which the shadow used to its' advantage as it silently moved down the hallway. It reached its' destination quickly and knocked on the door quietly. After a moment, it slipped inside without anyone noticing.

Once inside, Shun finally stood up to his full height and pushed back the hood of his cloak. "That's a bit cliché, don't you think?" Shun smiled at Alice's remark. "I suppose, but hides me from prying eyes pretty well."

Alice giggled and shook her head. She moved and looked out her window at the night, seeing if there was anything a miss. "So, what exactly is the plan?"

" We move to this secret location and slip inside."

"Where exactly is this location and how do you know where it is?" Alice suddenly thought and she turned to look at him.

He gave a small smile. "I went back to Jackson's office a few days ago. I was able to find the location since I knew what I was looking for. The fool left it in a place very easy to find. There is an isolated warehouse on the coast. We are fairly close to it. It should only take about 30 minutes to get there on foot."

Shun suddenly pulled out another black cloak. From where, Alice had no idea. "Here, put this on. It will help hide your hair." He said holding the material out to her. Alice nodded and quickly put it on. She glanced at herself and noticed that it was slightly too big for her, but she would still be able to move pretty easily. She sighed as she looked at Shun. "I feel ridiculous."

He laughed at her remark. "Yeah, the first time you wear one you always do." Shun walked forward until he was standing right in front of Alice. He looked at her for a moment before he spoke. "Thank you for helping me, Alice. I don't think I would have gotten this far at this point without you." Then, Alice was taken by surprise for a moment when Shun wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into a deep kiss. She melted into it, enjoying the feeling she got when his lips touched hers. A wonderful feeling coursed through her entire body that felt like fire.

When Shun pulled away, Alice gave a silent pout. She didn't want the kiss to end. She felt like she could do anything.

"Hey, Alice?" The question brought her back to reality and she snapped her head to Shun. "I'm sorry. What were you saying?" He shook his head and sighed. "I was saying that we needed to get going. It's 2:30 now. That gives us approximately six hours before we need to be back here."

Alice nodded. "Ok, then let's get going." They started to leave but a question popped into her head. "Wait. Do you know the way?" Shun laughed. "Of course. I mesmerized the map. I also took a walk the other day in the morning and at night. It should be easy to get there."

He opened the door and slipped out, making sure that Alice was following. They easily left the train and the campsite then they ran into the darkness, heading into the unknown.

**~S~**

By the time they reached the warehouse the storm had long since arrived and was currently pouring down. Lightning seemed to flash constantly closely followed by thunder that seemed to vibrate everything. Alice looked at the sky and sighed. 'I hate storms.' She thought miserably. She glanced at Shun who was standing several feet to her right looking through binoculars. 'He doesn't even seem to notice that it's raining.' Alice watched as Shun silently lowered the binoculars and turned to her.

"There doesn't appear to be any guards."

"That's good. It will be easy to get in without being noticed, right?" Alice was relieved to hear that there wasn't anyone in their way.

Shun's expression didn't seem to hold the same amount of relief that Alice felt.

"That's the problem. It seems too easy. There has to be a catch." Those words were enough to make Alice feel completely nervous in seconds. "W-what do you think we should do?" She really wanted to say, "let's head back to camp", but Shun didn't seem to be the type of person to abandon a mission so easily.

Silence fell between them as the rain continued to fall. Alice wasn't sure how long they sat there in silence, but she didn't dare break it. She looked at Shun and saw a look of deep thought on his face. She decided to leave him be for now, instead looking at their surroundings more closely.

The warehouse seemed to be backed up to the sea with a dock that extended a little ways out to be able to accept boats with deliveries. The warehouse itself was three stories high and stretched almost a mile long. The building was completely run down. Most of the windows were broken, wood coverings or just completely missing. A section above the door had a footprint of what used to be a beautiful awning was now completely gone. The nearest building to the warehouse was several miles away. 'Which also means that if anything happens to us, no one would hear or know what was happening.' Alice's heart was suddenly tight with fear. 'This definitely wasn't something I expected I would be doing since I joined this group.'

A flash of lightning followed by thunder made Alice jump, startling her out of her thoughts. She glanced at Shun who still seemed deep in thought and obviously hadn't even noticed the storm. She sighed and leaned against the tree she was crouched by. It was late and she was getting very tired.

"I think we should go in with extreme caution." Shun's voice suddenly seemed out of place amidst the heavy silence. "Stay close to me and do exactly as I tell you, ok?" Alice gulped but nodded. She already could feel her hands shaking,

They left the safety of the bushes and ran across the open space near the building. The sound of her footsteps sounded loud in her ears and Alice was afraid that they would be caught by the sound alone. She then realized that it was pouring rain and most likely no one could hear them.

It seemed a long trek across the space, but they soon reached the side of the building. Shun looked at the door they had stopped at and looked through a small crack in the wooden paneling on the door. Alice watched with apprehension as she waited. After a minute, Shun pushed off the wall and walked several feet until he was standing directly in front of the door. She watched as raindrops around him suddenly changed direction, heading towards the door at a high speed. The door was forced open with a bang, but there wasn't enough force to rip them off of their hinges. Shun motioned for Alice to follow as he entered the building. She quickly got behind him, afraid that she would lose him in the dark.

Once their eyes had adjusted they quickly looked around the room they were in. The room seemed quite small in comparison to the size of the building. It seemed the room used to be some sort of lobby or receptionist office at one time. Now it was an abandoned room with ugly interior from the early 1960's. There were 2 doors that they could see: one on the right and one on the left. The door on the left had long since disappeared while its' counterpart certainly had seen better days.

"So, which door should we go through?" Alice asked very quietly, afraid that if she spoke too loud the whole building would collapse. A small sigh, so quiet that she had to strain to hear it, "I'm not entirely sure, but I think we should go through the door on the left since there isn't a door. Most likely removed because of its age." Shun replied before carefully moving in that direction. Alice nodded and followed.

They walked down several hallways and many rooms. Alice had no idea how long they were walking and most certainly no clue as to where they were. Everything had blended together and she no longer knew which way was out. Eventually, they entered a room at the end of a hallway that looked like an old cafeteria. Some tables seemed to be standing but just barely. She wrinkled up her nose in disgust when she realized old odor of food hit her. It seemed to have soaked into the very walls.

Shun walked the perimeter of the room and sighed when he reached Alice once more. "I don't get it. This place is completely empty. Why would this be so important?"

Alice was about to reply when she suddenly heard a click. She was confused as to what that noise was until she felt the floor beneath slide away. She screamed as she felt herself fall and watched as the little bit of light was blocked from her view.

**~S~**

I'm sorry, everyone. I didn't mean to take so long. I got another writer's block, yet again. Unfortunately, I didn't make my goal of finishing this story this month. Hopefully, I will finish this soon, but still have quite a few chapters to go. This was a long chapter and I hope y'all have enjoyed it. Please leave a comment, question or review. It would be much appreciated. :) See y'all next time! *SaphirePearl*


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: **As always, do not own.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 18: Compromised**

"I don't get it. This place is completely empty. Why would this be so important?" Shun scrutinized the room, expecting anything to jump out at the last second.

A sudden click reached his ears and immediately turned back to Alice just in time to see the floor beneath begin to drop out from beneath her feet.

"ALICE!" Shun jumped forward, hand outstretched to try and grab her. To his horror, he could only watch as Alice fell through the hole and disappeared from view. The young teen watched it all in slow motion. His hand grasped nothing but air.

Shun made an attempt to follow Alice through the hole, but the trap door slammed back into place. He growled and slammed both fists onto the door, trying to see if he could bust through it. Alice's scream still echoed in his ears.

'NO! I can't lose her too.' He patted himself, looking for any kind of tool that could help him get through this obstacle. Fingers scrambled through rough clothing and textured pouches, hoping to find something useful.

"I see that you little oranged hair lady fell through a trap. Hahaha!" Shun froze, eyes wide. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears, breathing coming in short, fast gasps. His hands shook where they had frozen in pockets. He didn't understand what was happening. 'Why am I reacting this way?' It took him several seconds to realize the answer. 'Of course. Panic.'

"Aw, what's wrong? Is little baby Shun going to cry?" Shun grit his teeth. He knew that voice and it was one he was not happy to hear.

Slowly, he stood and turned to face his new "companion". There leaning nonchalantly against a doorframe was a man. He was tall with short, spiky gray/white hair. He had red eyes, 'Contacts most likely.' Shun thought. This man was very pale, clean-shaven, and his choice of wardrobe consisted of leather and animal fur.

"Shadow Prove. You still look as frightening since our last meet."

Shadow smirked. "Why thank you. It is quite difficult keeping this kind of appearance. But enough about me." He pushed himself off the frame and stepped the rest of the way into the room. "I'm here for you"

Shun gave a humorless laugh. "Please, don't flatter yourself. I have no interest in you or anything you have to say."

"I'm not here for that, although I wouldn't mind. You have been working out, haven't you? My boss actually wants to see you." Shadow stopped several feet from Shun. "By the way, he won't take a no for an answer."

Shun glared. "Well, you can tell him he can release my friends or I will make him pay for what he has done. Jackson will pay dearly for this, I promise you that."

Shadow stared at Shun for a moment then through his head back, laughing. "You think Jackson is in charge. Please. He is nothing but a pawn. "

Shun felt shock race through his body. 'Jackson isn't the one calling the shots? Then….Who is?'

"So? Are you coming quietly or am I going to have to through you over my shoulder like a toddler?" Shadow grinned, hoping for the later.

"You won't be taking me anywhere. You are going to tell me where Alice went." Before Shadow could comment, Shun had grabbed one of his knives and leapt forward. He grabbed Shadow's shirt and forced the knife onto his neck. Shadow growled out of surprise, then he slammed his right fist into Shun's left side.

The young ninja doubled over, trying to protect his side, inadvertently, lowering his knife. Shadow took opportunity of the opening and grabbed Shun by his shirt and threw him as hard as he could into the wall. Shun felt the old dry wall crack and give under his weight. He immediately struck out with his right foot, hoping to put some distance between them.

The move forced Shadow back a few paces. He suddenly laughed. "Oh man, I haven't fought a battle like this since the last one we had." He giggled, "But orders are orders." He spread his feet apart and put his wrists onto his side, almost like a sumo wrestler. He took a deep breath and waved his arms in front of himself. Dark orbs began to form, which then took shape into dark purple knives. Shun gasped when he saw the number aimed at him. He quickly pushed himself off the wall and quickly brought a wall of wind in front of himself, just in time to deflect the first wave.

Shadow laughed. "I see your reaction time has gotten better. But I bet I will still beat you. I have had more experience at this than you have."

Shun growled. "Try me." He waited for the next wave. Shadow laughed but launched the next several waves at Shun, each knife slamming against the wind wall.

After several minutes, Shadow suddenly stopped. He stared at Shun, laughed doubled over laughing. "You look ridiculous, being so serious. You should lighten up a bit. Have some fun."

Shun's glare hardened. "Forgive me if I don't find this amusing." Shadow stopped his howling and straightened. "Well, if you are going to be a party pooper, then I'll just have to end this party early."

Shun more felt than heard the attack behind him. He spun around, just in time to deflect the dark shadow that had tried to attack him from behind. Unfortunately, when he turned, he left his back open. Giving Shadow the opening he needed to end this battle.

Shadow formed a large orb and launched it at Shun's unprotected back. It threw Shun against the wall hard. By the time his body hit the ground consciousness had left him.

Shadow laughed and skipped over to his body. "Well, I guess you wanted to do the hard way." He bent down and placed Shun over his shoulders. Shadow then stood and walked out of the room to deliver his prize.

**~S~**

Hey, guys. So, so sorry it took me months to put up the next chapter. Work and life has been super hectic. Still is, but it is nice to be back to writing. Thank you all for your patients and support. Please leave a comment, review or question. See ya'll next time! *SaphirePearl*


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